1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antenna protectors for portable electronic devices and more particularly pertains to an antenna protection device for cellular phones which may be used to protect an antenna from physical harm when the phone is worn by attaching to the belt or clothing of a user.
2. Description Relative to the Prior Art
Mobile telephones, and most especially cellular telephones, are well known. Among the most common types of cellular telephones are those which are intended to be carried by attaching them onto the belt of the wearer. Such cellular telephones are generally provided with clips for this purpose.
Such personal portable cellular phones are also generally designed with retractable antennae which can be extended to a height of several inches when in use. These antennae are often rather fragile while in the fully extended position, but less so when retracted into the body of the phone. Even in the fully retracted position these antennae nevertheless usually extend up to an inch above the body of the telephone, so that the user can grasp the end of the antenna in order to extend it.
It has been seen that the retracted antenna end is still vulnerable to damage. When worn on the belt of the user, as seen in FIG. 1, the antenna end is may become entangled in the user's clothing. The user may not even be aware of such entanglement. As a result the antenna end may be broken off, bent, or otherwise damaged before the wearer is cognizant that there is a problem of this nature.
The present invention solves the problem of damaged antennae by providing a simple, low cost antenna guard which supports the antenna end in the fully retracted position, and further provides a streamlined, non-obtrusive upper surface to the phone, making it less likely to snag or become entangled with the user's clothing.
For these reasons, the current invention presents a significant improvement over the design of the cellular phone, without such an antenna guard as seen in prior art.